Friction clutch



Sept 17, 19146 c B sp s 2,407,728

FRICTION CLUTCH Filed Jan. 8, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 17, 1946. c.BLSPASE 2,407,728

FBI 0 TION CLUTCH Filed Jan 8, 1944 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept.17, 1946 FRICTION CLUTCH Charles B. Spase, Nedrow, N. 1 assignor toLipe- Rollway Corporation ration of New York Syracuse, N. Y., a corpo-Application January 8, 1944, Serial No. 517,557

5 Claims.

This invention relates to clutches of the type used in motor vehiclesbetween the engines and the transmission gearing. It has for its objecta construction by which the pressure ring, back plate and clutch leversmay be assembled without the use of pins, pivot and the like, or may beassembled and disassembled merely by a relative rectilinear movement ofthe pressure ring and the levers in the same direction as, but greaterthan, the operating movement of the pressure ring, the constructionembodying means for eoa-cting with the levers with a ratcheting actionduring the assembling operation. As the operating movement of thepressure ring is axial to engage and disengage the clutch and thismovement is a relatively small one, the relative rectilinear movement ofthe pressure ring and the clutch levers to assemble or disassemble themis a movement greater than the operating movement of the levers.

The invention further has, for its object a simple arrangement of theanti-rattling springs for the levers and an arrangement by which thesprings also provide fulcrums for the levers and also by which thesprings support the levers from the back plate.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of this clutch .and contiguous portions.

Figure 2 is an edge view of parts seen in Figure 3.

Figure 3 is an elevation looking to the left in Figure 1.

This invention comprises a pressure ring, back plate and clutch leverassembly by which the pressure ring may be assembled with the back plateand clutch levers by a movement axially to a greater extentt'oan isrequired to engage and disengage the clutch, the pressure ring havingmeans for coacting with the levers with a latching action during theassembling operation, in order that the levers may be interlocked withthe pressure ring to coact therewith after the latching operation.

I designates the driving member of the clutch, which may be the engineiiy wheel. 2 is the driven member or plate having a hub 3 slidablysplined on the clutch shaft and having friction faces 5 on oppositesides of its outer margin for pressing against the face on the drivingmember I and coacting with the pressure ring 6.

i designates a back plate or cover, preferably formed of sheet metal,this being secured as by screws 8 to the driving member l. 8 are clutchsprings interposed between the back plate and the pressure ring 6 toengage the clutch or thrust the pressure ring 8 toward the drivingmember I and hold the clutch plate 2 in frictional engagement with thedriving member l. The pressure ring 6 is rotatable with the drivingmember I and is here shown as interlocked with the back plate to rotatetherewith by the projections, or arms which are in latching engagementwith the clutch levers.

if! is the throw-out collar slidable on the clutch shaft 4 and operablein any suitable manner by a clutch pedal or other lever through athrowout yoke II. l2 designates clutch levers interposed between thethrow-out collar l0 and the pressure ring 9 operable to transmit thethrowout movement of the collar IE) to disengage the clutch or withdrawthe pressure ring 5 against the action of the spring 9. As here shown,the pressure ring ii is provided with rearwardly extending projectionsor arms l3 extending through openings 14 in the back plate to the rearside thereof, each of these arms being provided with a notch I5 thereinfor receiving an end surface of the lever l2. As here shown, the leversl2 are formed with wide notches at H5 at their outer ends, the widenotches forming a fork, which is arranged astride the projections withthe bottom of the notch l5 in the arm in the notch l6 and engaging thebottom of the notch IS. The levers are supported from the back plate Iby anti-rattling spring I1, here shown as T-shaped in general outlineand secured at l8 at the ends of the head of the T formation to the backplate and at their inner ends at the lower end of the leg of the T at l9to the inner ends of the levers l2. When the levers are thus assembled,the pressure plate may be assembled with the back plate and the leversby moving the pressure ring 6 rearwardly or to the right through theback plate with the arm or projections I 3 extending through theopenings Id. The springs l! are shown as formed with corrugations at nowhich provide yielding fulcrums for the levers l2. During this movement,cam or ratcheting surfaces 26 on the rear .ends of said arms engage theends of the levers,

causing the levers to have a ratcheting engagement, until the leversseat in the notches it, when the pressure ring can be again drawnforward or pressed forward against the action of theanti-rattling springH. The pressure ring may be removed by the reverse of this operation.The anti-rattling springs are formed at their upper ends to providefulcrums for the levers [2.

The anti-rattling springs II, it will be noted, act in the samedirection to engage the clutch as the springs 9 and do not oppose thesprings. It will be noted that the notch I5 is wider than the portion ofthe lever seated therein. As the clutch springs 9 hold the clutchengaged, or in other words, as the levers l2 perform no function whenthe clutch is engaged but function only during the throwing outoperation ofthe clutch, the wide notches l5 permit idle play of thelevers without transmitting throw-out motion, with drivers who areinclined to keep their foot on or press gently on the throw-out pedal orride the pedal, after the spaces between the throw-out bearing and theinner ends of the levers are taken up by this pedal riding operation.Also, the springs being shaped to form fulcrums as at I!!! for thelevers I2, provide yielding fulcrums which yield and cushion the springs9 at the beginning of the clutch engagement when the driver releases theclutch pedal and permits the throw-out sleeve. I0 to withdraw quicklyfrom the inner ends of the levers l2. This restriction of the action ofthe springs 9 ispermitted by the wide notches. During the'throwing outopera tion, the lost motion or lash caused by the wide notches is takenup after the throw-out bearing contacts the inner ends of the levers l2,so that thereafter the throw-out pressure is unrestricted by theresilient fulcrums. I

What I claim is:

1. In a clutch construction, driving and driven members, a back platemounted on androtatable with the driving member and having openingstherein, a pressure ring rotatable with the driving member and operableto engage and disengage the clutch, the pressure ring having armsslidable through the openings in the back plate, said arms being formedwith notches in their inner sides toward the axis of the clutch andlocated outside of the back plate and also having ratcheting surfaces attheir outer ends, a throwout collar, spring means for thrusting thepressure'ring against the driven member to engage the clutch, clutchlevers between the throw-out collar and'the pressure ring, the leversinterlocking in the notches of said arms, and means for resilientlysupporting the levers from the back plate and holding the leversinterlocked in the notches and also providing fulcrums for the levers tothe inward of said arms with respect to the axis of the clutch, thelevers being arranged to coact with said ratcheting surfaces at theouter ends of said arms during the assembling movement of the arms intosaid notches, said lever supporting means biasing the levers radiallyoutward during ratcheting action and pivotal movements of the leversinto and out of said notches.

2. In a clutch construction, driving and driven members, a back platemounted on and rotatable with the driving member and having openingstherein, a pressure ring rotatable with the driving member and operableto engage and disengage the clutch, the pressure ring having armsslidable through the openings in the back plate,

members, a back plate mounted on and rotatable with the drivin memberand having openings therein, a pressure ring rotatable with the drivingmember and operable to engage and disengage the clutch, the pressurering having arms slidable through the openings in the back plate, saidarms being formed with notches in their inner sides toward the axis ofthe clutch and located outside of the back plate, a throw-out collar,spring means for thrusting the pressure ring against the driven memberto engage the clutch, clutch levers between the throw-out collar and thepressure ring, the levers interlocking in I the notches of said arms,and leaf springs secured to the back plate and to the inner ends of thelevers, each spring being formed with a fulcrum for the companion lever.

4. In a clutch construction, driving and driven members, a back platemounted on and rotatable with the driving member and having openingstherein, a pressure ring rotatable with the driving member and operableto engage and disengage the clutch, the pressure rin having armsslidable through the openings in the back plate, said arms being formedwith notches in their inner sides toward the axis of the clutch andlocated outside of the back plate, a throw-out collar, spring means forthrusting the pressure ring against the driven member to engage theclutch, clutch levers between the throw-out collar and the pressurering, the levers interlocking in the notches of said arms, and springsfor supporting the levers from the back plate, each of said springsbeing T-shaped in general form with the leg of the T secured to theinner ends of the levers and the ends of the head of the T secured tothe back plate.

5. In a clutch construction, driving and driven members, a back platemounted on and rotatable with the driving member and having openingstherein, a pressure ring rotatable with the driving member and operableto engage and disen gage the clutch, the pressure ring having armsslidable through the openings in the back plate,

said arms being formed with notches in their inner sides toward the axisof the clutch and located outside of the back plate, a throw-out collar,spring means for thrusting the pressure ring against the driven memberto engage the clutch, clutch levers between the throw-out collar and thepressure ring, the levers interlocking in the notches of said arms, andsprings for supporting the levers from the back plate, each of saidsprings being T-shaped in general form with the leg of the 'T secured tothe inner ends of the companion lever and the ends of the head of the Tsecured to the back plate, the intermediate portion of the head of the Tformation being shaped to form a fulcrum for the lever.

CHARLES B. SPASE.

